Brothers Osborne’s TJ Osborne Comes Out As Gay

T.J. Osborne, one-half of award-winning country duo Brothers Osborne, has come out publicly as gay, making him the first openly gay artist signed to a major country label. In a new interview with Time, the 36-year-old country singer says he’s known he was gay since he was young and that he has been out to friends and family for years.

While T.J. feels that his sexuality is his personal business, he does want to be an example for others. “People will ask, ‘Why does this even need to be talked about?’ and personally, I agree with that,” he shares. “But for me to show up at an awards show with a man would be jaw-dropping to people. It wouldn’t be like, ‘Oh, cool!'”

T.J. came out to his brother, Brothers Osborne guitarist John Osborne, shortly after they moved to Nashville and signed a publishing deal.